


Valentine

by Kt_fairy



Series: Like real people do [3]
Category: RPF - Fandom, Real Person Fiction, The Hobbit RPF
Genre: Dorks in Love, Fluff, Horses, M/M, Romance, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-14
Updated: 2014-02-25
Packaged: 2018-01-11 22:16:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1178597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kt_fairy/pseuds/Kt_fairy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A wander through the day of love with the boys.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Morning

**Author's Note:**

> I do not think you need to have read Bright Waters to follow this. I, of course, urge you to read it.
> 
> I own these boys (kinda) but I do not own the personages of Lee Pace and Richard Armitage- they own themselves.
> 
> Also, forgive the lack of plot or, ya know, quality. I got this Idea on Monday and had to get it done for Friday (which is why chapter 3 will be coming later because time is not infinite and therefore an idiot.)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is Lee's Valentines treat.

"So I have a surprise for you..."

"Snap! Me too." Richard had that tone of voice that was somewhere between strained and cheerful that usually meant something annoying had happened.

"Don't say the flight's been cancelled?"

"What? No, sorry it's been a long day."

"More asshole producers?"

"Nah they're okay actually. I'm still in snow and rain mode, the heat is a little uncomfortable."

"Well I'll swap, London is trying to freeze my nuts off..."

"Excuse me Mr.Texas."

Lee burst out laughing as he waited to cross the road, pulling the cello case in front of him to let the people standing around him have more room. "I'll get chaps and a cowboy hat just for you."

"Lord above."

"Ride into the sunset like all true American hero's."

"I think they'd faint at the riding you're thinking about."

"Is it the riding your thinking about, that's the main thing..." Lee felt eyes on him and glanced down at the lady who had moved to stand where the cello case had been. She had a pink tinge on her cheeks that was from more than the wind and she looked away quickly when he glanced down at her. "...ah..." The beeps went as the green man flashed up and they all set off across the road. "Well I'm going down onto the underground now so I'll..."

"Someone overheard you being inappropriate didn't they?" Lee could hear him laughing and sighed.

"Lemme know when you land in New York, 'kay. I need you to do some stuff before you come here."

He thought he heard Richard say he would through his raucous laughter before he hung up.

 It was just Lee's luck that the lady from the crossing was stood opposite him on the tube.

                                                                                         -------------------

 When the taxi took them into the outward sprawl of London Richard's sleepy but excited face turned into one of confusion and a little worry. "Okay, unless we're taking a long way to Heathrow, without any luggage, I give up." He announced, still twisted in his seat to look out of the window.

 "You'll love it. Theo said it was one of the nicest Valentines ideas he's heard for a while." Lee, who was holding himself back from bouncing around the back of the cab in excitement, shared a smile with the Cabbie, Theo, in his rear view mirror.

 "I said to this gentleman 'ere, when he told me where to take you, that I wish I'd thought of this. It's meaningful, innit, not just somethin' bought like we do these days. The wife would've been over the Moon."

"You should take her anyway." Richard said gently, finally turning from the window. "Spur of the moment treat would get her over Mars I think."

"If you think over Mars then I might just do that, ya; know. Keep me in the good books for a while. Be a laugh too..."

"Oh Lee! Lee It's not an assault course is it? If it's an assault course I will throw you out of this cab."

"Like I would do that to you!"

Richard shot him a look and turned back to the window. "That's Richmond park isn't it, Theo?" He asked the cabbie casually.

"Yes it is, and I ain't givin' you clues to your surprise neither..."

"You are both insufferable." Richard muttered, breaking into a smile as Lee dragged him away from the window and closer to him.

"Just enjoy the surprise Rich."

"I wanna know what it is though. I want to know what to be excited for..."

Richard and the Cabbie fell into a conversation about soccer, ('don't call it that, the main point of the game is to kick a ball with your foot so I think it gets to be called Football- not whatever the hell you lot play') that Lee did not understand but seemed to mostly consist of discussing many different league tables, and who was getting rid of their managers.

Lee just agreed with everything Theo said before they both turned on him, which ended up with Lee pinching Richard in the side and descended into him holding Richard's wrists while he tried to pinch him back. It was then Richard caught a glimpse of something out of Lee's window and froze.

"Oh my goodness..." He tore his eyes away to look at Lee with the biggest, stupidest smile on his face. "Is this..."

"Yeah."

"Oh Lee..." He gave him a quick but firm peck on the lips before leaning forward to peer out of the window as they turned into the stables.

"See, worth being a surprise!" Theo said from the front as he pulled up for them to settle the bill. "You enjoy yourself, gentlemen. Stay safe and have a wonderful Valentines day."

"Thanks man, see ya' round." "You too!" They said in unison as the back cab pulled away.

"Urgh, 'you too." Fucking 'you too' I am so lame..." Richard muttered as he dug his hands into his pockets, letting Lee slip his arm around his waist.

"Yeah you are, and I love it." 

 

                                                                                                              ------------

 

The man behind the desk was unfailingly polite, the girl who would be taking them on the hack was all smiles and dusky freckles, the horses selected for them were beautiful, and the lady who was seeing if they were good enough riders was downright condescending.

”Our horses are for competent riders, they are spirited and you will have to control them. You cannot just sit on them and point them in the general direction you wish to go. I will not let you out of these stables if you do not meet my standards, and they are exacting." 

She turned to speak to the girl as they checked the tack and got a feel for the horses, Lee's a curious roan gelding and Richard's a fidgety dappled grey mare.

"Hey, don't ride like cowboy or we'll get put in detention." Richard whispered over his horses back.

"Don't you ride like a kiwi either or we'll get spanked!"

Richard laughed gently and his horse veered wildly to the side, trying to pull away from the wall. They both froze as she settled down a little and Richard gave her ear a gentle tug that calmed her down immediately.

"That woman gave you a naughty horse on purpose."

"No, she's not naughty." Richard stroked her neck. "You're just spirited aren't you? Beautiful girl."

 

They passed the assessment with flying colours, of course they did, two hour rides up hills in New Zealand trying to keep up with Jeb Brophy was not for 'all right; riders.

Lee had taken a moment to scan over Richard’s straight backed English riding style before he swung himself up, keeping his mind on that form as he concentrated on being put through his paces- 'riding like an American' would not be her excuse for ruining this day.

The woman barely contained her sour face that these 'actors' were actually any good and it was a only look from Richard that stopped Lee from telling her exactly what this actor thought of her.

"Hey," Richard reached out to take his hand as they followed the girl through to the back of the stables and out into the grassy hills and woodland of the park. "Why're we here Lee?"

"For Valentines."

"No, for the ride. So let's not fall off, try not to start a Deer stampede, and have a lovely time despite her."

"I hear despite but I see 'to spite'." Lee grinned, then laughed at the innocent look Richard shot him.

 

 

The bridal path passed through gentle woods and picturesque grassland dotted with Deer, rolling hills half hidden in the early morning cloud that the sun was doing it's best to burn away, breaking through in patches to bathe everything in clear winter sunlight. It looked like Lee's ideal of the English countryside, and, he mused, it was almost was as it was so big. He had wanted to take them away to the countryside but, as most of it was under water, it had been impossible to get a idyllic little cottage for them to get away from it all for a few days (of Richard giving him a look like he was a tourist before laughing). It was easy to forget they were surrounded by a city of eight million people. Easy to forget it was just him, Richard, Sammi and the horses for miles-  unlike most people Lee did not find the emptiness in the world frightening.

                                                                 

                                                           

Lee had rode all his life; he could just remember riding with his mother in Oaklahoma, had vivid memories of riding along sand dunes in Saudi and of course kept it up while in Texas. Richard had been taught later in life, but the teachers in New Zealand had made him competent while Jed had made him good. He felt like he should be getting some film of Richard riding with the same graceful ease he did everything to send down to New Zealand to show how well he was keeping it up. Jed would appreciate it, hell Jed would put it on a DVD and keep it forever out of pride. They really had to get together again soon.

 He called his thoughts out, Richard twisting in his saddle to look back at him, "Jedi would love this, he'd be gone for days running around these woods."

Lee didn't answer straight away as he took a moment to look over the radiant smile, and it was genuinely radiant, on Richard's face- letting it seep deep down into his gut and warm him. "Wild man of Kingston-upon-Thames. Raiding the houses for houmous and prosecco."

 The girl, curly haired Sammi, burst out laughing as well as Richard, his eyes turned a pale almost silvery blue by the grey early morning skies, before crashes in the undergrowth pulled their attention to the fast moving shapes of the Red Deer they had startled.

 

 

"When we get out on to the flatter grassland we'll see about cantering. If there aren't Deer or picnickers of course."  Sammi said as they waited for Lee to extract his horse from what must have been a particularly yummy bush.

"Shouldn't we...well its public land shouldn't we stick to the bridal path?"

She shot Richard a cheeky look and a flirty smile that Lee knew was making his ears go pink under the riding helmet. "No one will be around apart from the odd dog walker, besides the next hacking groups will be behind us by nearly an hour. We can risk it."

 "We don't want to get you in trouble."

"I'm always in trouble." She patted Richard on the arm and Lee smiled into his scarf, "Think of it as an apology for the boss being a... being rude to you guys. She's a massive snob about everything but she's never been openly rude before. Just 'cause you learnt for a film, but least you learnt."

"Hear hear!" Lee piped up as his horse finally relented and turned around to bump it's head into the flank of Richard's mare. She leap forward with a surprised whinny that had Lee's heart leaping up into his throat as she skittered down the path sideways take Richard with her.

He got her back under control quickly, gently pulling her ear and smoothing a hand down her neck to calm when Lee rode up to him.

"Shit! I'm so sorry are you okay?" 

"Yeah, apart from your horse trying to kill me."

"Rich..."

"Hey, St.Valentine got eaten alive on Valentine's day so it could have been worse..."

"Rich!"

"It's fine Lee." He reached out to squeeze Lee's knee, hand burning warm though the material of his trousers."Horses startle, you know that."

"Everything okay guys?" Sammi called, the horses shifting so the firm grip on his knee slipped, Lee sighed at the loss as Richard assured her it was okay. "Well, seeing as Shadow here felt like a run, you guys up for a canter now? That field to the left is good to let these guys have a run."

 

 

That the canter turned into a gallop was entirely Richard's fault.

Even though he had lost all of the muscle he had gained from The Hobbit he was still strong enough to pull that mare up if he wanted to, in fact he had done so not five minuets ago. Her restlessness had made it obvious she wanted a run, Sammi had even gently warned him that she could be hard to control when she was like this. Richard had been taking care for the whole ride not give her a chance to take her head and run off, but he still let the grey jump into a gallop did and not try to stop her. Sammi nudged her horse to shoot off after him and it was clear she was racing him to the road that ran along the opposite edge of the field rather than trying to stop him.

 Lee could tell his horse was not feeling up for a run so he let the gelding drop back into a trot as Lee lounged back in the saddle, his back protesting at being upright for so long.  He had made a point of keeping a semblance of the English style up until now, even thought Richard has slouched as soon as they hit the bridal path. The sharp mid morning sunlight had burnt off the cloud and hit Lee's face; he almost, almost felt like he was back home watching over his sister tearing around the scrub-land on her pony.

"Don't think Her Majesty would appreciate you joy ridin' in her park." Lee called out when he caught up to them.

Richard laughed, flushed and breathless and delightfully carefree, "She'd knight me for my daring!" He had pushed the sleeves of his hoodie up to his elbows, showing the strength he was so easily putting into keep the fidgety mare from taking off again, either not noticing or not caring about the cold that was nipping at Lee's cheeks. 

"I wouldn't call it daring."

"Yeah..." Sammi sighed, moving around to the other side of Richard. "That was a bit silly of us, but it was fun thought wasn't it."

"Very- you should've joined in!"

"Red here liked the view." Lee slapped the gelding on the neck and he threw his head in what seemed to be agreement.

"Well, I uh... umm..." Sammi stalled, wind pinked cheeks going redder, "I take it this is a valentines day...um... date so, well, you're both good riders so I'll go up in front a bit and let you two have some private riding time."

"Don't feel like you have to!" Lee smiled over at Richard, always the only one that never caught the 'lets be alone now' vibe that had people excusing themselves. 

 

 

They followed the road down so they could rejoin the bridal path where it crossed the road. A herd of Fallow Dee, paying no mind to the horses, were stretched out by the empty road and they quietly skirted around them so they could get a closer look. Lee, who had been taking pictures all morning, slowly got out his phone to snap a photo of Richard; he was practically glowing with contentment as he looked over the beautiful, peaceful animals grazing not five feet away in the cold sunlight.

Lee looked up a moment later and caught Richard taking a photo of him with an evil grin on his face. Lee just about held in a protesting yell about how he looked like a tomato in a sack, so he pulled a face instead as watched Richard shake with silent laugher. 

 "Idiot."

 

 

They lost sight of Sammi when they joined the well worn the path that cut through the woodland at the back of stables. They let the horses walk as slowly as they liked as Richard reached out to grab Lee's hand. He gave a gentle tug so Lee came close enough for Richard to lean over and kiss him, both of them smiling when their riding helmets connected with a thunk, "Thank you so much. This was... this is perfect. Thank you."

"My pleasure, despite the couple of hours in the cold this was pretty special wasn't it?"

"Very, those Deer were so beautiful."

"I don't think I've ever seen one up close. Don't even know if we have them in the states...kinda bummed they don't have giant Elk here though."

Richard threw his head back and laughed, "They were hiding, heard of your chair preferences."

"Hey, that was a throne thanks!"

"No _ **I**_ had a throne, _you_ had an extravagant coat hanger."

"Oh great, I put thought into giving you a lovely Valentines and I get abuse. Great."

Richard looked unrepentant yet full of love so Lee let it slide with a smile, pulling Richard over for another kiss. Their lips just brushed when Richard's horse shifted to the side and they were pulled apart. 

"Stupid horse!"

"She's protecting my honour."

Lee waited until they drifted back together to squeeze his thigh, then squeezed the firm muscles harder as he idly wondered how he could get Richard to play a Roman/Greek so he could see those bare legs gripping the sides of a horse. "Then she is a noble steed!"

Richard rolled his eyes but let Lee slip a hand around the back of his neck for a longer press of lips. "All right Broke Back, lets not test what can be done on horse back." Richard muttered, blushing at the eyebrow waggle Lee shot him.

                                                                                                         ---------------------

"Thank you, that hack was one of the best!" Sammi said as she gave Lee a surprisingly tight hug before moving onto Richard.

"No no, thank you. So much. You definitely helped make it so...enjoyable." She laughed as she pulled back, holding Richard's wrists for a moment to shoot him a fond smile before she stepped back.

"I know we don't quite have the stunning New Zealand landscapes, but I hope it was pretty enough."

"It was beautiful, honestly. Seeing those rolling hills as the cloud cleared was magical."

"See, I told you it would be better in the morning!"

Richard raise an eyebrow at Lee, "She told you, did she?"

"I sought advice, this isn't my city after all." Lee sniffed as he slid into the waiting taxi, winking at Sammi as Richard laughed.

"I hope to see you guys again soon! And have a lovely rest of your Valentines day!" She said before closing the door after Richard, waving back at them through the rear-view mirror as they drove out of the yard.

"So..." Richard said, the taste of the warming coffee they had when they got back to the stables still in Lee's mouth and the sweet earthy smell of horses lingering around them, "we need to be out again by half six at least- washed and dressed- for dinner..."

"Dinner?"

"Yeah, that was my treat. I'm not as imaginative as you for stuff like this."

"Ooo I'm exciiited...but also hungry."

"Stop off for Subway on the way home?"

Lee bundled a protesting Richard into his chest, "My heart leaps at your words! Music! Music to my ears!"

"Ged'off you numpty!"

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have never actually been on a horse before in my life, but my Granddad used to breed them and I have lots of friends that ride so I have watched form a far! So please forgive me any mistakes.
> 
>  
> 
> (queenmab-scherzo, remember the 'drunk cello'?)


	2. Evening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is Richard's valentine's treat.

Lee thanked God for Richard's stylist when they stepped onto the pavement outside the restaurant.

He, being Lee Pace of Chickasha Oaklahoma, did not own many suits and those he had were not only not good enough for this place but they were also in New York. Richard had leant him a black and while checked shirt and a slim line suit jacket that wasn't too obvious it was made for someone slightly narrower to put over his own black jeans with some smartish shoes he had luckily thought to bring.

 The black front of the restaurant spread over the bottom two floors of the typical four floor 1920's Soho building, the only decoration being the name painted in simple golden letters above the middle set of Art Deco windows, a Union Jack hanging high above the entrance. The simple elegance stunk of class and Lee felt like he might not get in as a fucking Bentley pulled up behind their cab.

"Don't look so nervous, it's not  _that_  posh or I wouldn't even go in there."

Well that was alright for Richard to say when he was in that steel grey Ermenegildo Zegna suit from the Wellington premier that was so perfectly tailored he look like he'd been born in it (Lee had joked about it only looking better on the floor until he caught a glimpse of a price tag still attached to the suit bag and had to sit down because Richard wearing something that cost more than Lee's, admitted a little old, car was intimidating at the same time as being so dam sexy). He had been avoiding the sun and had his hair dyed black for an upcoming role, add that to the cobalt shirt and tie and you get large reflective eyes gone such a rich blue that Lee would bet money they could be seen from the other side of the road.

 Richard lead him inside to the elegant lobby (Lee had been plenty of places with a Maitre d' stand but never a whole room with a desk in it and everything) and they both followed the waiter through the full restaurant. Lee noticed every eye that passed over them, convinced when they looked at him they found him lacking and when they looked at Richard they saw someone who belonged- little did the know the easy confidence he was exuding was mainly down to the fact he had not noticed he had been noticed. 

 

They were in one of the few semi-private booths at the far side of the room, mostly hidden from view of the rest of the restaurant. The décor was crisp, stylish and gloriously free from the typical commercial Valentines Day trappings; everything either in crisp white linen, mahogany, dark green leather. A simple Art Deco mirror hung on the wall above Richard showing Lee the rest of the room while not reflecting them in it. Once they had worked out the menu, that was more like a modern art painting than anything else in their old men opinion, he finally felt himself relax.

 Lee had developed a taste for good red wine over their years together and picked out a Pinot Noir that had got an adorable from Richard when he saw it was from Otago, New Zealand. "It'll be good. Well I hope it's good, I was trying to keep my palette in but when ever I was out and ordered some my friends, well, they took the piss." Lee did not know whether to say he only got red wine when he found himself missing Richard, normally he would not but this was Valentines day...

"Don't put up with the taste just for me. If you want a beer have one, I don't expect you to make yourself like it just because I do."

"No I want to. It..." Lee leant across the table a little more, pushing his hair back off his forehead, "...I like the taste of you after you've been drinking. Red wine that is. It makes the kisses so heady and decadent. I drink it when I miss you..."

Richard's eyes sparkled when he looked down before glancing up again, goofy smile on his face as Lee picked up his hand to kiss his wrist. "You're sickeningly romantic, love." Richard whispered and Lee laughed again his skin, letting himself flop back in his chair when Richard gave him a playful shove.

"So..." Lee cooed,  "What do you do when you miss me?"

"Find a dog." Richard snickered into his wine, "No, I usually put on that stupid knitted cardigan thing you got me because it reminds me of you...or ya know, call you."

"I am actually flattered by the dog thing."

"You would be." Richard muttered, a flash of pink tongue chasing a stray drop of the dark red liquid that had got lost on his lips.

What made it worse was that he was not even doing it on purpose and that made Lee want to lick it off his lips desperately.The table seemed to stretch into eternity between them.

 

The meal passed as most did, whether it be in a catering tent on the side of a valley at three in the morning or in a posh restaurant in trendy Soho. With silly jokes, deeply thought out points, and giggles from Richard; with easy smiles, idle ponderings about the world, and gentle laugher from Lee to frame their casually shared courses. It passed with an ease that had been there since their first meal together, which happened to also be their first conversation, ( _'Hi, you looked a little lost over here with all of us being very...dwarven, so I thought I'd be a friendly face- I'm Richard by the way.')_

Even though they took their time, dinner was going by far too quickly for Lee. He wanted it to last for hours so he could just sit here doing three of his favourite things; being around Richard, eating, and people watching in the mirror. This, Lee thought for a moment, should be strange because being with someone who looked as amazing as Richard did, whilst having half a bottle of wine inside you, tended to make one want to get the other home and under your hands as soon as possible. It was not just because of the problems from last year that put most of that off the cards, well actually it was but not in that way - they were talking more, laughing more, spending _time_ together like they had at the start. It was not that sex had put a strain on the relationship, they did that themselves, this just felt like they were back at that point where everything clicked into place, where everything was wonderful whilst you soared on the high that is being in love.

They had lost that a little, had become complacent. Complacentcy was dangerous and it had nearly broken them.

 "Hey, Richard."

"Mmmm?" He turned his hand palm up so Lee could take it, squeezing it carefully once it was in his grasp.

"We should stay out after this. Even if it's just propping up this bar. What d'ya say?"

Richard made to reply but something caught his eye and his face fell for a millisecond before a smile was plastered on it, "You know how you love me Lee?" He murmured under his breath as he waved at someone.

"Yeah...?" 

"Hold onto that feeling tightly so you'll still love me when dessert comes." 

"Dickie! _Sweetheart!_ Oh it's been too long! Too long!" A voice Lee faintly recognised rang out and he twisted in his seat slightly as Richard slipped out from the booth to be pulled into a hug by this man- a hug that went on a little too long for his liking.

"This is a surprise. It's nice to see you again..."

"Oh," The man Lee sort of recognised but did not like looked down at him in surprise, "and who is this young man?"

"This is Lee, he is my..."

"Pleased to meet you, Lee."

"Hi..."

"Oh an American. Welcome to England. That shirt is very zingy." Lee made to thank him for the compliment, but a glance at Richard told him it had not been meant as one. "I see you have been busy on the other side of the world bringing epic's to life. I was saying to Craig the other day how our shy nymph is going down in history! And it's suited you, my word." The man did not react as Richard subtly moved his arm out from under his wandering hand. "You look delightful in that suit, sweetheart." He shot a look down his nose at Lee. "Doesn't he look just _edible_?"

"The yummiest thing on my menu tonight." Lee could feel the look Richard shot him but he was too busy staring down this man. He would not make a scene, he would not be rude and he would not do any more than this -for Richard's sake- but he was going to make it clear that this guy needed to take a step back.

"Aren't you a lucky boy, getting wined and dined by our god. Our Dionysus! Do you remember how you got that title, sw..."

"Oh I am lucky, but I think you'll find I'm the one being wined and dined tonight." Richard cut in, leaning his hip on the side of Lee's chair. He could not see the expression on Richard's face but whatever it was the man finally backed off.

"I see I have disturbed a lovely evening, how awful of me. I'll send some thing over, please forgive me." He gave Richard a peck on the cheek, nodded to Lee and disappeared back into the restaurant.

"You alright?" Lee asked once Richard had sat back down and took a gulp of wine.

"Yeah."

"Who was that?"

"The arsehole bookend to the day, "Lee chuckles, "and the reason I left musical theatre."

"Yeah, if anyone called me a nymph I'd run a fucking mile. What a creep!" Richard shifted in his seat, eyes flickering over the table, a tenseness in his shoulders that would not do. "Let's not talk about him any more. Let's talk about something nice."

Richard straightened his posture, smiling brilliantly over at Lee as he took his hand, "Yes, let's talk about you."

"Oooh, someone is feeling rather smooth tonight!"

"It's the suit, I promise."

"Not the wine?"

"Mmmmmmno. Maybe."

Lee grinned, then grinned harder when the dessert arrived and Richard did not let go of his hand. They shared an almond flour brownie with loads of ice-cream because dinner had been wonderfully rich and Richard needed to stay a certain size for the pre-production he was going into.

 It was as Richard was trying to get ice-cream on Lee's nose that a bottle of the most expensive wine on the menu arrived from the guy that Lee could still not place (not that he wished too) and the both of them, plus the waitress that had bought it, looked at the bottle in silence as they decided whether to accept it or not.

"If you don't want it..."

"It's rude not to accept."

"Richard!"

"It's also ridiculously good champagne."

"...yeah it'd be rude not to."

"But...can we take it home please?" Richard asked the waitress, that slight quirk to his mouth that could win anyone over.

"Of course sir, I will find a carrier for it. Would you like the jacket put back on the bottle?"

"If you don't mind." He smiled up at her as she whisked it away. "And if you don't mind, Lee, I'd like to go home after."

"Anything you like darlin', anything you like."

"I didn't... not."

Lee lent across the table, dropping his voice down to what he had been told was his sexy growl, "I am gonna take you home, get you in bed and snuggle you so hard you won't wanna move tomorrow."

Richard's shoulders shook, shaking his head before he lent it on their joined hands and laughed quietly. Lee pressed a kiss to his hair, both sitting back when the bill arrived.

 "What... no don't you pay. I was just saying that earlier to get him to leave, it's my treat."

"Well I want to pay out of principal."

"You already treated me this morning..."

"I wanna treat you now."

"Lee..."

"You're wearing a suit that costs more than all the clothes I bought with me. That's treat enough."

"Don't...don't do that I'm not gonna fall for it."

"Okay fine, split it."

"You can't split the bill on Valentines day!"

"We're trail blazers." 

Richard looked over Lee fondly as he paid, a delicate sparkle in his eyes that was a declaration of love that seemed, to Lee, to fill the restaurant. 

 When waitress had gone to order their Taxi with her very generous and silence buying tip in in her pocket, Richard pulled Lee off his seat and onto the banquette so he could kiss him in the blind spot of the booth. Lee ran his hands down the smooth, warm sides of Richard's body to wrap one arm around his back while the other gently clutched his bum, pulling Richard closer as he licked at Richard's lips. He was let in with a quiet sigh, Richard's hand moving to the back of his neck and gripping tightly. His warm, soft mouth tasted of chocolate and the floral spice of the wine, the most decadent taste in the world and it was all Richard. Lee moaned, digging his fingers into Richard's butt before they both parted with a gasp. 

 Richard's lips were warm and soft as they kissed up to Lee's ear, "I'm going to cuddle you so thoroughly you'll swear you've gone blind." Lee could feel the grin in his voice and pulled Richard around to plant a firm kiss on his mouth before pushing him away.

"That's my line!"

"And...? Don't see any copyright."

 

 

 


	3. Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is alcohol, cello and good ol' fashioned valentines fun (fricking)
> 
> (Tw: mentions of low body image)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yessss it has been a while coming. Sorry about that. I had a snazzy wedding to prepare for, go to, and then recover from (much champagne, lots of Scottish reeling, very sore everything) so this got pushed back.  
> But we got there in the end! Merci beaucoup for your patience.
> 
> queenmab- I have finally delivered unto you the alcohol fueled cellist.

 Neither was entirely sure how they had gone from pleasantly merry leaving the restaurant to their current inebriated state.

Well…no, that was a lie.

Lee had got up into the attic, after he had found a hammer to defend himself from all the spooky things that usually live in attics, to explore (snoop) in the week he was alone in Richard's house. Many things were found up there that needed to be thrown out or Lee wanted shipped to New York, but he had only struggled to bring down the absinthe and the cello.

  The bottle had been left out on the kitchen counter since Lee brought it down and Richard had managed to not notice it until this evening, tie half undone as he lent on the fridge, holding the lurid green bottle in his hands.  “When I was filming Impressionists we all went and…well we got bladdered on absinthe and brandy to ‘live the part’. I have never been so drunk in my life; I think we were all still tipsy two days later. I forgot I had this…”

 “A souvenir?”

“Nah, a sarcastic present from my on screen wife...”

“I’ve never had it.”

Clear eyes had flicked over to Lee and they stared at each other a second before a grin had spread across Richard’s face, “You wanna glass?”

“You trying to get me high, Armitage?”

“This is Montmarte, it’s not that strong.”

“Yeah I read the bottle. _Only_ 65%.” Richard had fiddled with the cork a moment before he tipped his chin up in a silent challenge. “You need a huge great big water thing and spoons and sugar cubes and fire anyway.” Lee had protested.

 

Turns out you the only thing you really need is ice water and the will to drink it.

 

  Lee sprawled out on the sofa with a glass of wine to take away the after-taste, while Richard slumped slightly in the Murray Wingback, giggling into his sleeve.  Lee was a bit drunk, but Richard was definitely drunk and that could be said with complete surety seeing as he had finished his glass and most of Lee’s as the strong, aniseed taste was a too much for him.

Richard had told him he looked like a puppy that licked a lemon and Lee was unsure how to take that.

“This was nice. This day was nice.” Richard made to get up. “The only thing we need is music.”

“OH MY GOODNESS I FORGOT.” Lee yelled, throwing pillows everywhere as he scrambled to get up. Richard watched in mild alarm as he nearly tripped over his legs several times on his way out of the room, wincing when there was a thud on the stairs and Lee made a growl of annoyance.

 “You alright?”

“I forgot! Richard I forgot what I found.” Lee called back from the top of the stairs and Richard giggled at the coffee table. What on earth was going on? Was Lee actually seeing the Green fairy after less than half a glass?

“Pace! You seeing Tinkerbell?” Richard asked when the door opened, hissing when it banged on the wall and he turned to glare at the damanger of his wallpaper to be met by Lee, standing in the doorway, goofy smile on his face, holding a cello case out in front of him.

Richard slid off his chair when he realised it was his.

“I asked Nonoko from next door to come and see if was in tune. ‘Cause she does Violin, which also has strings. She told me to get it re-strung so I took it to somewhere outside London she recommended and TA-DAH! It has a new bow and everything.”

 “Oh…” Richard pulled himself up and came forward slowly, making to hang his tie over the back of his chair but it fell haphazardly to the floor and went un-noticed.  As soon as his hands touched the case he let loose a beaming smile, glancing up at Lee to half whisper something he could not quiet catch before slipping it out of Lee’s grasp to lay it on the floor, opening the case with care. “Oh Odile look at you…” Richard whispered, running his fingers along her generous curves, pressing them gently along a slight blemish in the wood by the tailpiece, remembering the tears he had shed when that had happened, “…how could I forget how beautiful you are.”

 Lee felt a mixture of beaming joy at the reaction his effort had got but also a little indignant that all Richard’s attention was on that instrument, that he was running his careful fingertips over it with so much affection, that his face was glowing as he looked at it and not at Lee. “Is Odile it’s name?”

“Yeah, I named her Odile. Not sure if whoever had her before called her anything…” Richard tipped his head back to look at Lee with slightly unfocussed eyes, “…s’from Swan Lake.”

 “Natalie Portman or Mila Kunis?”

“Wha…” Richard looked as if he was having an existential crisis before realisation dawned somewhere in his eyes. “Portman was both swans. They were doing the Bolshoi version- Odile is Odette’s evil double…”

 He watched Lee crouch down opposite him to take a closer look inside the case, idly fiddling with the rosin box. “She doesn’t look very evil…?”

 

Richard knew this was Lee’s way of asking why she had this name, but instead of answering he just ran his fingers over the new strings.

  He was not sure if he would ever tell Lee about how she got her name. How when he was twelve (the year he got her) one of the older boys, Chris Wright who all the girls were in love with, was doing a version of the Seigfried/Black Swan piece for his English National Ballet School audition. A panic had gone up when Chris’ practice partner wrenched a tendon with eleven days of vital practice to go. All the other girls were too young, too busy with their own exams, or were practice partners already; Richard was the only person Madame deemed free enough, mature enough and tall enough to fill the gap. He had nothing to do with the actual exam (partners were chosen from applicants), or had needed to dance every inch of the Black Swan’s choreography: just be in the right places for the lifts, move where she would move, do the right hand placements etc etc. He was quite proud of himself when Chris had got in- he smiled fondly as he remembered how dark, charming, lovely, strong Chris Wright had twirled him up into the air when he got the news. Richard found himself blushing at memories of the awkward and, looking back, inappropriate peck Chris had given him when he had walked Richard back for the last time before going off to join the Nation Ballet in London.

  “Rich, why are you blushing?” Lee’s soft voice broke Richard from his thoughts and he blinked up at the warm smile on that sweet, perfect face.

“Just…nothin’ really.” He looked down, suddenly coming over a little shy. It was not that he was embarrassed about the little crush he may or may not have had on the older boy, it was not that he was embarrassed about ballet or stepping in as a ‘girls’ part. He did not want to tell Lee because how much his 'time' with Chris had meant to him was made obvious by naming his cello in memory of it. He could not play it down, even when not in his current state, without it being obvious he was lying and Lee would think something untoward had gone on and they'd argue when everything had just gotten perfect once more.

 “Look at you, more in love with that than you are with me.” Lee sighed as he stood. “If I’d known this I wouldn’t have got her new strings, it’s making her seduce you.” 

 “Not even a Stradivarius could turn my head away from you.” Richard glanced up at Lee, realised how corny he was when he was drunk, and moved his gaze back down.

Lee’s apple cheeks went pink as he flicked his eyes down to the cello, “So…”

“Soooo….?” Richard asked playfully, tipping his head all the way back to look up, up, up at Lee.

“Gonna play me a tune?”

Richard rolled the aniseed taste on his tongue around his mouth and glanced down at Odile. It had been a while and he was maybe a bit drunk but Lee had asked, and he would do almost anything for Lee. Fuck it, he was definitely drunk so why the hell not? “Gonna play me a tune, _what_?”

“Please, maestro.” Lee said with a bow that made Richard smile.

“Suppose I could knock something out.” Richard grinned as he pulled himself to his feet and wandered off into the dining room, unaware of Lee turning red as he tried very hard not to burst out laughing.

 

 The slight hysteria died in Lee’s throat when Richard came back and dropped one of his dining room chairs down in the middle of the rug- he had discarded his suit jacket somewhere so Lee could see his crisp white shirt was hugging the breadth of his shoulders and the strength in his upper arms in an almost obscene way. Lee flopped down onto the couch and sat on his hands to stop the treacherous appendages discovering what that body felt like under expensive cotton tailoring as Richard went back to the case.

  “What’re you doin'?” Lee asked when Richard did not immediately stand back up again.

“It’s new…” Richard turned where he was rubbing a cloth over the new bow that had something on it that was giving off a faint pine smell, “gotta put Rosin on it.” He explained as if it was obvious and went back to the instrument.

  Eventually Richard scooped it up, one hand holding the neck while the other supported the body as he carried the cello over to the chair, pulling her to rest against him as he sat with practised ease, large hand resting gently on the curve of her waist.

Was it bad Lee was feeling a little jealous of wood?

  “Does his Lordship have a request?”

  “I researched and I say to you...” Lee leant forward slightly, “…Brahms!” He announced with a flourish.

 

  “Okay…”Richard looked down at the fingerboard, running the bow over the strings in a measured sweep to check the tuning before dissolving into giggles- if only his teacher could see him now, about to attempt perfection whilst under the influence. “No, no I can’t. I can’t play Brahms while…after drinking fucking Absinthe.”

“Yeah you can!”

“Nah. Wouldn’t dare do that. Would need the sheet music too.” He tapped his head with the tip of the bow, “M’not a music library, not Itoones.” He tipped his head back and found Lee looking over him intently, eyes making a sweep up Richard’s arms, shoulders, lingering at points where he touched the cello or she touched him. Soft hazel eyes slowly made their way up his bared throat, glanced at his lips, before they met his own eyes. Richard fought down a gasp as a tingle lingered in the path of his eyes, it was not like when Lee touched him because when he touched Richard with intent it was like electricity, but this was something just as intimate. “Keep looking at me like that and no music will get played _at all_.” Richard blushed at how deep his voice had gone and then blushed harder when Lee’s breath hitched.

  “No…no play me something. Please.”

Richard took a moment to fiddle with the tuning; racking his brain for something he could play while the booze made his head fuzzy and his fingertips slightly numb, now the world felt muffled and there was heat prickling his skin.

  “Well…” There was something by Piazzolla he used to be able to play backwards after spending weeks learning the choreography to it at school; he just hoped muscle memory would kick in and the fit of nervous, drunken giggles that were trying to burst out of his throat kept down.

   He was relieved the atmospheric, rhythmic fingering was as purposeful and sharp as the Argentine Tango should be. Richard let the heat in Lee’s eyes, the feel of his lips and hand and body against his from earlier, the taste of absinthe on his tongue and the languorous feeling it gave him settle into his bones. It was seduction, seduction and sex, and even if you played every note perfectly to you had to still believe in the desire otherwise everything would fall flat- there is nothing worse than a half arsed seduction.

  In no time at all Richard was lost in it, he may not have been very accurate with his bowing but that was not what this was about, this was not technical, this was all Latin passions and the unchanging beat of two lovers. He did not notice how he was allowing the music to pull him backwards and forwards, to rock and sway slightly either in long movements that moved with the sensual sweeps in the music that could have him curled around the cello, letting her deep vibrations echo through his chest as of she was whispering to him, or in smaller, precise movements when the counterpoint marking demanded him to pull drama from the body of the instrument, the deep notes that could fill any space.

 

   It was those lower notes that caught Lee in the gut. The decadent tango rhythm was almost suffocating in how sensual Richard had managed to make the rich tones of the cello. The parts that made it for respectable ears, that pulled it out of a brothel backroom, were like coming up for a breath of air he was not sure he wanted. There was a moment where the music was swirling in the bottom register and then came to life with a vocal slap that made Lee jump before it descended into disharmonies that spoke of desperation, Lee’s desperation for this magical creature in front of him that was pulling this world into life with just metal and wood.

   There was a moment of jealousy and awe that just a heady mixture of booze and music could create such freeness, a wild looseness in Richard that Lee knew he would have to work very hard at in his professional life. He was embarrassed for a second before deep eyes caught him in their glare and he felt like they were burning him from behind long sooty lashes. They turned back to the fingerboard for what sounded like, to Lee, a repeat of the first twenty bars- another seduction,  having cast away your fist lover after taking your fill in them and then looking for another, never sated.

 Lee never thought he would see the day classical music would give him a boner, but there it was.

 Richard finished with a slightly overcooked flourish but Lee did not care if he noticed at all because a lock of black hair had come loose to fall into Richard’s eyes as he panted gently, a slight flush on his pale cheeks, and Lee wanted him even more than the music had demanded.

  “Rich…” Lee’s voice came out ragged so he coughed to clear it, digging his fingers into his legs “Richard, that was…that was…I don’t know what to say I feel like I’ve been thrown around Buenos Ares.” He let his eyes wander over the cello, now a silent blank canvas once more, and felt a new admiration for her. “Why don’t you put Odile away incase she gets knocked about...”Lee let out a nervous sound, “…we’re not very sober right now.”

 

  Richard blinked away the clarity of the music and the other characters he had become, blinked back the sudden fuzz of the alcohol to process what Lee had just said. He felt a shiver run through him at Lee’s voice, as low and soft as the C string in the bass cleft, felt rather than heard.

  He followed Lee’s order to pack away with care because he did not know what else to do with the atmosphere in the room that had not rushed away when the music stopped. He could feel Lee looking at him and made his hands stop shaking as he laid the cello down, carefully wiping the strings, slotting the bow into it’s indent and making sure everything was secure before closing it up with a silent promise to get her out more often.

  Richard pushed the case to one side before standing, turning to Lee, pushing a stray hair out of his eyes, suddenly aware of how tight his shirt was.

  He let out a very manly (thankyouverymuch) shriek when Lee grabbed him that was cut off abruptly when his back hit the wall and he momentarily lost all the air in his lungs. He had only managed to gasp half of it back before Lee was attacking him, and it did feel rather like getting attacked, with lips and sharp teeth and warm tongue and desperate fingers clawing at his sides.

“I don’t wanna do anything you don’t want to do so please say so now and fucking…leave the room because I am on the brink of loosing control.” Lee growled against his ear as hands grabbed Richard hips to push them into the wall.

  It took a moment for Richard’s mind to catch up with what just happened, his body seemed to be thrumming with want, with need, all shyness forgotten, and he really should have predicted this reaction when he chose a tango- stupid, wonderful, drunken brain.

 “Yes…yes.”

“Sure.”

Fuck Lee, and his fucking careful self “Yes!” Richard grabbed at soft, messy brown hair and pulled his face towards his for a kiss as Lee’s hands ripped open the fly on his trousers before shoving them down. When Richard finally managed to kick them off Lee grabbed his legs and hauled Richard knees up to wrap his legs around him as he pressed Richard harder into the wall, hands moving down his thighs to knead his arse, making him against Lee's lips gasp.

A few buttons went flying off Richard shirt as Lee scrabbled to get as much undone as he could to press his face into Richard’s collar bone. He was distracted enough by hot breath on his skin to miss one of Lee’s hands leaving to pull at the nearest draw to them in the sideboard. A crash and a growled curse from Lee was all the time Richard was allowed to notice that Lee had managed to pull the draw completely out and dump the contents all over the floor before there was a firm hand on his back, a supportive one squeezing his butt, and he was being pulled off the wall.

   Despite appearances Richard had never been all that heavy when not bulked up for a role (Graham had been surprised when he had to carry him in dwarf boot camp). His build meant people generally did not try and pick him up but Lee, with his wide straight shoulders and swimmers arms, would hoist Richard up whenever he felt like it; which was nice when Richard was not worried about being dropped or Lee hurting himself, right now he did not care much he just _wanted_.

  Lee carried him across the living room, Richard nipping at his lips and swallowing his growls, to dump his cargo quite unceremoniously on the sofa. Richard was still recovering from the sudden change in orientation of the earth when Lee reappeared, minus trousers and shirt, at the end of the couch looking at Richard like he was going to smash something as he grabbed one of his ankles tightly. “Leave the shirt on.” He ordered, slightly unnecessarily as Richard had forgot he even had it on, as he slid forward over Richard, pushing one leg up to his chest.

  Lee scraped his teeth over Richard’s nipples, making him arch and grab at Lee’s hair, grunting out something that sounded like, “Not a lot of lube left,” as a finger pressed at his entrance.

  It was basic preparation, fingers stretching just enough to prevent any damage and stop the worst of the burn when he pushed in. Lee was not as slick as he usually was as he rocked himself into Richard, strong hands pushing Richard’s wrists into the arm rest above his head. There was a delicious edge of pain under the dulling effect of alcohol, slightly more than the usual discomfort that came with having a dick shoved repeatedly in your butt.

  Richard giggled at the thought, drunk on everything, the sound becoming a punched out yell as Lee began to fuck him. There was no leverage, nothing to push against to press back against Lee’s thrusts, nowhere to hide from Lee's intense gaze looming down at him as he was still gripping Richard hands. He was suddenly aware of everything he hated about his face; big nose, fat chin, ears, forehead, how red alcohol made his skin go - he would have wandered how Lee could look at him with such desire if he was not so keen on escaping his gaze. Richard squeezed his eyes shut, turning his face to mewl into his bicep at every firm, glorious slide Lee made into him, concentrating on their panting breaths rather than the obscene sound of skin against skin.

 “Look at me.”

“No.” Richard bit out; vaguely aware he had said anything.

Fingers tightened around his wrists, “Look at me…Look at me Richard.”

 “Ma….” His drunk, nervous giggle was cut short by a moan, “…make me.”

“What?”

“Make me.”

Suddenly his wrists were released, burning hot hands manoeuvring his legs so one foot rested on Lee’s shoulder joint while he pressed the other leg back and to the side so it was pressed into the back of the couch, shuffling forward so Richard was pressed even harder into the cushions. When Lee slammed his hips into him this time he hit Richard’s prostate dead on and sent a flash of fire to the very tips of Richard’s toes as he grabbed at Lee’s shoulders crying out with more abandon than he would usually.

  His eyes were forced open in surprise at the strength of that sensation and after a while of just liquid electricity under his skin, the delicious pressure of Lee inside him hitting his prostate with purposeful accuracy, he began to notice something else. There was Lee’s face, red with effort, hair wonderfully dishevelled, eyes dark and bright, a smug smile on his face.  “Ah…there we are…there are those eyes.”

  This felt incredible, Richard had rarely felt something as wild and desperate and demanding as this 'in bed' but he could not allow Lee victory – he was too stubborn for that. Richard used his free hands, hips and the foot pressed against Lee’s chest to push him away and roll them both onto the floor.

 Lee’s head, raised to watch Richard's movements intently, thunked back onto the carpet when Richard sank down onto him and began to move. It took Lee a moment before he rolled his head back to meet Richard’s eyes, his own adorably hazy. One hand grabbed Richard’s dick tightly and moved over it in nearly the same rhythm he was setting on top of Lee, the other hand running down from Richard’s neck, pressing into the lines of his shoulders and upper arms under his shirt before moving to grab his hip and try to guide his movements.

 “No.” Richard growled, pulling the hand off his hip and pressing it into the floor by Lee’s head, “you don’t get to do that.” Something sparked in Lee’s eyes that made Richard groan, nearly curling in on himself when Lee got some purchase with his feet and began thrusting up into Richard, meeting his movements half way.

  The muscles in Lee’s neck were tense as her strained up, seemingly trying to kiss Richard. He took pity and leant down just enough to meet him, letting Lee suck on his lips between grunts and moans, moving to scrape his teeth over Lee’s lightly stubbled jaw just as his orgasm hit him out of nowhere.

He was aware of flooding heat, pressure, tensing muscles, digging his fingers into Lee’s pectoral and squeezing his hand hard as everything lit up like bonfire night. For three thudding beats of his heart there was nothing, and then there was Lee’s lips on his wrist and the world flooded back.

 He could feel the effort Lee was putting into staying still beneath him, feel the slight tremble against his inner thighs as aftershocks made Richard's inner muscles tense every so slightly. Richard was drunk and loose limbed with heat still in his blood so he pressed his lips against Lee’s ear and rocked his hips, ignoring the sparks that shot up his spine, “Gonna come for me Lee.” He pulled at Lee’s ear lobe with his teeth as the other man moaned loudly, bucking up into him, “Come for me, say my name while you...” Richard swallowed, making himself ignore the pins and needles feeling shooting along his nerves, forcing his voice into the crisp growl he knew Lee loved, “…it’s been three months Lee, three long months since you were allowed this…” Lee groaned loudly as he moved quicker, “….say my name while you fill me up.”

  Lee’s hands shot to hold his hips as he came, panting Richard’s name again and again as he rode out his orgasm inside him, Richard digging his nails into Lee’s shoulders to try and ignore the burn. Lee slumped back, completely boneless, and Richard slid sideways to curl up next to him, resting his head on Lee’s shoulder, glad he did not have carpet burn on his knees or feet.

 “You okay?” Lee panted.

“Yeah.”

 Lee languidly moved them both so he was spooning Richard, both of them blindly pulling the comforter and cushions off the couch to make a make-shift bed for the night. He covered Richard’s shoulders with gentle kisses through his shirt until they both fell asleep.

 

 

 

Lee woke up alone and was disorientated for a moment by the coffee table in front of him before the ache in his muscles and the slight one in his head made yesterday flood back, especially the evening, and Lee grinned to himself, savouring every sore spot because it was so worth it.

  The comforter smelled faintly of Richard so Lee pressed his face into it for a moment, savouring it, before he gingerly got up and surveyed the room.

 The contents of the draw he dropped on the floor last night was in a neat pile so Lee, getting the hint, tidied it away and slotted the draw back in the sideboard. The cello case and discarded clothes from last night were missing so Lee poked his head out of the door to listen for Richard. Out in the hallway he could hear the faint sound of the shower so he followed the noise upstairs. Lee poked his head into their bedroom, noticing the pile of their clothes to be taken to the dry cleaners with Odile in the corner, before shuffling into the bathroom.

  Richard gave a small smile as Lee joined him under the warm water but did not say anything, just ran a fingertip along the red mark he had scraped onto Lee’s jaw with his teeth.

Lee turned around so the scratches on his shoulders were visible before moving to face Richard so he could see the red welts his blunt fingernails had left on his chest yesterday. Richard raised an eyebrow as he indicted the mark Lee had left on his chest, extending his leg to show the fading redness on his ankle and the yellow bruise on the back of his leg, the darkening hand prints on his hips, holding his hands out to show the bruises on his wrists.

  Lee did not realise he was being so rough, the ache in his muscles only spoke of how vigorous it had been, but not so aggressive as to leave bruises like these; they were not angry black/red bruises, they were not marks of cruelty, but were still darker than Lee liked to see…

  He knew Richard was not be angry, knew for a fact because he was allowed in the shower with him, but Lee still felt a flood of guilt at marring his perfectly pale and smooth skin. He gathered Richard’s hands in his and gently kissed the delicate bones in his wrists, bending to do the same to the bruise’s on his hips, on the back of his leg, and the mark on his ankle.

  Lee blinked against the water spraying in his eyes to look at Richard who was smiling at him so gently Lee felt like he wanted to shatter. “Come here and kiss me where I really want to be kissed.” Richard said softly and Lee was on his feet in a flash, cupping Richard’s wet face in his hands to sweetly press a kiss to his lips, making him swallow his whispered, ‘I love you.” 

     

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woopsie- may have borrowed a line from [ Duet ](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1085994) by queenmab_scherzo. I hope you don't mind darling, I just could not think of another way to put it.
> 
> I could talk about how the changes in perspective are supposed to echo the backwards and forwards of a tango (which it helpfully does) but to be dull it's just because something's were coming in Lee's voice and other's in Richard's and I did not want to force them into one pov.
> 
> (If you have a prompt you are more than welcome to suggest it here or at my tumblr and I'll see if I can do something with it okay byeeeeeee)


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